The present invention relates to collectable miniatures, and in particular, to a base unit adapted to accommodate a miniature building, the base unit having an electrical lamp fitting, and adapted to electrically and/or mechanically interconnect with other base units.
In the past, some miniature buildings were provided with a lightable interior (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,730). However, such miniature buildings we, designed as a stand alone unit rather than as one unit of a collectable series able to be interconnected. Further, if producing a series of such miniatures were desired, a separate power supply would be required for each unit. In addition, the methods for producing such lighted miniatures often produced a miniature having unreliable lighting. Also, in the past, miniature buildings were mechanically interconnected by providing at least one pin on each building base and a connecting piece with at least two holes adapted to lock with the pin (see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,859). However, such an arrangement required separate connecting pieces and did not provide any means for lighting or providing an electrical connection.
An object of the present invention is to provide a base unit adapted to accommodate a collectable miniature building, adapted to accommodate at least one electrical lighting means, and including at least one means adapted to provide an electrical and/or mechanical interconnection to similar base units. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for constructing such a base.